Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-24
WHERE THE TRANPS LODGE.
The F0Ot-sOre Men Who PatrOnize The
Police stations.

4
| WHERE THE TRAMPS LODGE.
The FOOt-sOre Men Who PatrOnize The
! Police stations.
THE LODGING ROOMS IN THE STATION HoUsEs-A
| BED ON WHICH A DOZEN CAN SLEEP AT TINE
now THE KNIGHT OF THE ROAD MAKES THE
ROUNDS AND THE RISKS HE RUNS.
Saturday night when the snow was falling fast
and everybody who had home was making TO-
ward home the tramps who happened to be near
Washington plOdded on toward the city in search
of free lodging house CT police station TO enjoy
| without money and without price, the pleasures
| OF a shelter and red-hot stove. He had probably
walked several hundred miles. Perhaps he stole
short rides on the railroads, secreting himself be-
tween the freight and nearly freezing TO death
as he chung to a small piece Of wood or the
| steps OF q ladder. Thus he managed 10
save several hours on his road to the ''Sunny
| South" II there was no sInash-up on the road TO
| kill him and he managed not TO fall OIL the train,
| he would get of with only oh you," from
| the conductor. II he desired he could engage In
| fight. but like a true "knight OF the road" he
takes everything for the BEST and never fights un-
less he is cOrnered. Arriving in the city he would
ask odds OF no man, II the weather were line, but
would lodge for the night on some lumber pie or
some ones front doorstep. But the night alr was
| heavy with snow as he crossed Boundary street
and he asks the way TO the nearest police station,
where he knows he can get comfortable accom-
modations. He passes brilllantly-lghted store
windows, where he sees tine small boy natten-
ing his nose against the glass and lamentlng De-
cause lie has no penny. he p sSes saloon wnere
| he hears the sound of revelry and catches a
glimpse OF men drinking ut the bar. The savory
odor OF oysters at another place sharpenS MS ap-
petite. He sees crowds of people purchasing
| Christmas presents. lie has no friends 10 whom
| he can give present, and II he had he mas no
money with which to buy them He thinks he Is
| lucky If he can only get place Of shelter rom
| the snow storm.
AT THE POLICE STATION.
Finally he comes TO a building, over the front
door of which is large gas lamp with the words
''Police station painted on the glass. He stands
moment outside, and wonders what they VIII 90
II he enters; whether they VIII lock him up, or
give him nights lodging and turn him out In the
morning. HIS experience In other cites makes
him uncertain TO the kind OF reception he VIII
have There is nothing FOR him TO do but run the
risk. and so he walks bravely IL. He knows no one
but the captain" and walking 10 the rail In 'front.'
or the stationkeepers desk, he addresses that ofi
cial as captain, for 10 him all are captains He
asks for a nights lodging but the staIion-keeper
Is busy and tells him 10 take seat and wait min
ute or two. IL Is some minutes before the station
keeper has time 10 attend TO him, ard the tramp
gets nervous He imagine5 that they are talking
about him, and that ne Is TO DE made prisoner,
bus the stationkeeper has only forgotten the pres
ence Of the tramp. Presently he looks about the
room and sees the visitor.
what can do for your he asks.
"a nights lodgings, II you please. captain" he
replies.
having been registered on the blotter as LOGGER,
he is "stOOd up AMI Inspected II there are any
traces OF cleanliness about him ne Is escorted 10
THE LoDGERs ROOM,
which Is on one OF the upper floors, but II he pre-
| sents the appearance OF one who has not crossed
a small stream on the road for several weeks, he
is given prison fare only the heavy iron gate is not
locked upon him He Is put IN cell ABOUT SIX
feet by eight, having an iron bench Tor ped ana
warm air Tor a Governing. The one who has taken
some pride In himself, and used water once in
awhile, is given more comfortable quarters on the
second floor Here there Is a large room kept as
clean as can be, and In which bed large enough
for dozen is always ready for occupancy.
There are no feathers 10 shake and beat every day.
nor are there any blankets when need summing.
The beds are made OF the softest pine which can
be found In any lumber yard, and are built on
slight incline, long enough for any weary traveller
TO rest himself upon and pass quiet night with
out being molested. AT the head OF the bed Is
ranged pillow made OF wide piece OF pine ased
a iaw inches above the bed. one by one the
tramps appear at the different stations. arriving
at all hours, the last one appearing about mid
night
IN THE OLD STATION HOUSES.
The tramp who has been here in former years
hardly realizes that he is in the same city when
he enters the police station. Instead OF the old
rickety build ng he formerly entered he finds
new one, with all modern Improvements The
dodgers rooms is not the same at all. In the old
stations dodgers rooms were heated with
| stoves around which they would SIT until nearly
midnight When ready TO retire they would rake
the flTe and hang their clothes about II to dry
before morning, when they would be turned
out on the street. II the weather happened TO be
bad and the roads too rough for travel. the tramp
remained about the city all day, begging enough
TO eat The night would fad him IN The Office of
| another police station. And so he would make the
| round OF the several stations until he again APP
| pears for the second time at the same station.
Then he Is closely questioned by the statOnkeeper
4 and mIde TO give reasonable excuse for return
Ing a second time. This questioning Is TO frighten
him, he Is never made prisoner for the second
| appearance. For another week he Is subjected
pac examination
stationkeepers until he has paid second visit 10
\ each. The weather continues bad, he does not
want TO start out into the country, and he Is at
| loss to know what TO do
| RUNNING THE RISK.
| so he goes back TO the station he first visited
and II he finds stranger In charge he gives an
| assumed name Once more he is all right, and
keeps out OF the hands OF the law. II the same
| staton-keeper is at the desk, he tells pitiable
| story and attempts TO work the sympathy
| racket" IL the station-keeper is kind hearted
gwen another nights lodging and is not .'vagged;n
but II the station-keeper Is not kindly disposed,
the poor fellow is led back 10 cell, and the next
\ morning nnds him before court, charged with
having no visible means OF support, and OF being
| unable 10 give a good account OF himself.
III the prisoner al the bar has been In court Of
Justice before he will plead guilty and reserve his
/ right TO make statement. He will Tell the Judge
a plausible story and promise TO leave town at
once Unless some police offlcer intcrferes he WILL
no doubt, be successful in his appeal. II he is q
stranger In such place he usually keeps quiet and
goes CONn IOT ulOutu 10 WOrk Is ne naU not done
| for years.
| AN OLD MANS STORY.
One OF the unfortunates who applied for lodging
| registered as Daniel Griggs He said he was
| seventy-nine years old, and had been on the road
| nine or ten days coming from wilmington, Del
His nose was partly gone, and he walked with the
assistance OF two canes. He said that one OF his
/ legs Was broken sometime ago; that IL was still
| very weak and prevented his getting along very
| fast Some nights, he said, he would spend In the
! woods, aud other nights, when he had good luck
| he would get under shelter. He was on hts way 70
/ Fredericksburg, Va, where he formerly lived. and
| expected 10 walk the entire distance.
| Two young men-one from Philadelphia and the
| other from NeSark-were given comfortable lodg-
ings at the sixth precinct with the old man. They
| not bound for any particular place, but would
| stop wherever they obtained a Job. Numbers OF
| persons were Quartered at the various stations,
some on their way TO visit relatives others looking
1 for WORK, and others simply passing through on
i their way from nowhere 70 nowhere.
1 now HE GOT TO FREDERICKSBURG.
| Grggs remained about the city a couple OF days.
and, because he went into saloon I'm south wash
ington 70 warm himself an officer arrested him.
he was poorly dressed. and the officer charged him
with vagrancy. lie was taken before the Police
Court, where his manner was so gentlemanly that
Prosecuting Attorney Padgett called Judge SHELLS
| attention TO the old man. He said he thought
something might be done for him TO assist him on
his way 10 Fredericksburg.
.will you 90 TO Fredericksburg II release your"
asked the Judge.
"Yes STR" answered the Old man. "And thank
you, too
.Aow win you get there?"
| "Walk there, SIR